1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus built into a communication device (for example, a TV phone, a TV conference system, a video mail system, a video chat system, an intercom, etc.) for handling image data. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for editing a personal image (for example, a face image of a user, a whole-body image of the user, etc.).
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an amusement apparatus that prints and outputs a personal image of the user to various kinds of print media. The amusement apparatus overlaps a frame of ornaments (for example, a picture, a pattern, etc.) on the personal image of the user to make a composite image, and prints and outputs the composite image to a print media (for example, seal etc.).
The amusement apparatus, however, does not have, in itself, a function to adjust a positional relationship of the personal image and the ornaments. Therefore, even if the user has arranged the personal image to fit in the ornament frame, the ornament may overlap with the personal image, so that the ornament hides a part of the face (face part) of the user and/or a part of the head (head part) of the user, and as a result, the personal image becomes unclear.
Considering this point, a first reference (published Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-22929) discloses a technique that adds ornaments to a personal image, while making an ornament not overlap with a body part of the personal image, especially, a predetermined body part corresponding to a face and head.
Recently, a camera-built-in cellular phone has been put in practical use. The cellular phone has a function to overlap a frame of ornaments on a personal image to make a composite image and a function to transmit the composite image. If a transmitter uses such a camera-built-in cellular phone, a receiver can enjoy seeing the picture that the transmitter has edited.
The first reference assumes that ornaments do not move. According to the technique disclosed by the first reference, ornaments are added to a personal image such that the ornaments do not overlap with a body part of the personal image, especially, a predetermined body part area corresponding to a face and head.
Consideration of the first reference may be appropriate, since, in the first reference, the output is designated only to a printer that prints the composite image to a print media and an image once printed on the print media is rarely edited again.
However, the camera-built-in cellular phones mentioned above may have widespread use. In one of these cellular phones, a composite image is displayed on a display, without being printed to a print media. In the future, the user of one of the above-mentioned cellular phones will think that he/she wants to move ornaments in order to obtain more pleasure.
However, in the prior art, adding ornaments which do not move to a personal image which also does not move is only taken into consideration. Adding ornaments which move to the personal image is not taken into consideration at all in the prior art. For this reason, if the prior art is simply applied to a personal image which moves, the personal image and the ornaments may interfere with each other. As a result, the composite image becomes unclear and does not look more interesting.